Alagang Angara

It has been four years since the Marawi City siege and it is about time that the residents displaced by the five-month long armed conflict are able to rebuild their homes and their lives, Senator Sonny Angara said today.

“Though we emerged victorious, there is no such thing as a war without death, damage, or destruction. While up to 1,200 individuals were killed on both sides of the siege, it was estimated that up to P17 billion worth of property and economic opportunities were lost,” Angara said.

The Senate Committee on Finance is set to present in plenary the committee report on the bill that will ensure the benefits intended for public and private health workers under the Bayanihan 1 and 2 laws will continue to be provided even after their expiry.

Senate Bill 2371 filed by Senators Richard Gordon and Senator Sonny Angara was favorably endorsed by the Department of Health, which sought for the passage of the measure in order to address any question about the legality of the continued grant of benefits to the health workers.

Senator Sonny Angara called on the Filipino youth, particularly those who were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, to avail of the jobs under Republic Act 10917 or the Expanded Special Program for Employment of Students (SPES) law and get their education back on track.

As the author of RA 10917 in the Senate, Angara said the law is particularly timely during this pandemic when the incomes of many families have been affected by the loss of jobs due to the extended lockdowns, be it on a short-term or permanent basis.

Senator Sonny Angara sees the need for more flexibility in the processes involved in the annual submission of the national budget to keep up with the constantly changing demands and situation on the ground during the pandemic.

As the chairman of the Committee on Finance, Angara noted that many of the requirements of the various government agencies and offices are not contained in the copy of the national budget submitted to Congress, particularly those related to the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Both the government and the private sector welcome the promotion of digital payments as the way forward in providing Filipinos with a fast, safe and efficient way of making transactions in the country.

As the author of Senate Bill 1764 or the Use of Digital Payments Act, Senator Sonny Angara said there was widespread support for the adoption of digital payments for government and private transactions, “for as long as there are adequate safeguards in place to protect our people.”

Senator Sonny Angara is optimistic the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers will finally become a law after over a decade of languishing in the legislative mill.

As the author of Senate Bill 135, which along with other similar measures has been consolidated into Senate Bill 2369, Angara said that this will ensure the rights of Filipino seafarers will be upheld and that they will be given protection under existing laws.

Senator Sonny Angara prodded the Department of Health (DOH) to address the issue of contractualization within its ranks and hasten the regularization of the doctors and nurses working in its hospitals and other facilities.

As chairman of the Committee on Finance, Angara confronted the DOH about underspending in the amount of P24 billion, a portion of which pertains to funding under the now expired Bayanihan 1 and 2 laws.

Senator Sonny Angara reminded the Department of Health (DOH) today that apart from the special risk allowance (SRA) to health workers, they are also entitled to hazard allowance as the frontliners in the country’s battle against COVID-19.

Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) repatriated from Afghanistan are entitled to various benefits and assistance to help them while they are sorting out their lives 

As the sponsor and author of Republic Act 10801 or the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Act of 2016, Angara said the repatriated Filipinos from the conflict-ridden Afghanistan will have something to fall back on while waiting for their next deployment or if they decide to stay in the country.

With more cases of the Delta variant of COVID-19 being recorded in the country, Senator Sonny Angara today called on the authorities to be more proactive in its efforts to prevent the spread of the deadly virus.

Angara aired his concern over the data showing how the Delta variant is highly contagious and could lead to outbreaks if not identified and controlled immediately.